One of Goulburn’s most significant heritage buildings, the Goulburn Post Office, was built in 1880 and closed for an indefinite period because of lead-based paint. Photo: DTC Photography (David Carmichael).
Australia Post is expected to sign a lease as early as this week on a building in Goulburn’s main street to replace the Post Office, which has been closed since the discovery in February of lead contaminants.
Peter Mylonas Property Solutions principal Peter Mylonas said the lease would be for between three and six months. He was unable to give the specific location in Auburn Street.
Since closing the landmark heritage building because of contaminated lead in old paintwork in a backroom, Australia Post has directed customers to North Goulburn’s Post Office in Union Street and redeployed staff to its mail and parcel delivery and sorting centre in Copford Road, Bradfordville.
In a statement, Australia Post said it was securing a ‘’pop-up’’ post office in central Goulburn.
“This temporary post office will allow us to maintain services for the Goulburn community while remediation works continue,” the statement said.
“Once a lease is in place, we’ll work to fit out and open the pop-up store as soon as possible.”
Thieves broke into the building in January by forcing a rear window, but it is believed this is a coincidence with the discovery a month later of the problem with the old paintwork.
Vacating the permanent office has sparked speculation on the extent of damage and the future of the building.
Lead-based paint can be found throughout old buildings and homes everywhere and was being phased out 50 to 60 years ago, according to long-serving Goulburn painter Greg O’Neill.
He recounts while working for painter John Dalsanto, he attended an Environmental Protection Agency course, organised in Sydney by the Master Painters Association on how to manage lead-based paint, and wet and dry sanding.
The rear of Goulburn Post Office, where contaminated lead-based paint has prompted the building’s closure until further notice. Photo: John Thistleton.
Leaving a lethal legacy, the orange or bright-red primer was used on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for many years. Greg says painters who rolled their own cigarettes on the job, while working with the paint, had apparently absorbed enough to cause their deaths in later life.
He remembers the primer weighing three times as much as other primers and requiring mechanical stirring.
The cost of removing the paint was astronomical, but if it was not disturbed, it could be painted over and not be a problem.
In 2013, Australia Post engaged Carfax Commercial Constructions to refurbish and restore the building in time for Goulburn’s 150th celebrations.
Carfax’s website says: “Our works to this grand building included full repainting of all internal and external surfaces including repairs to original dilapidated windows, external and internal plaster, doors, timber floors, bell housing, clock face and clock tower, as well as the restoration of Queen Victoria’s bust and other damaged decorative mouldings and scrolls throughout the building.”
Meanwhile, Australia Post has adopted, among several initiatives, “reimagining its post office network”, according to its current corporate strategy, as it deals with the unstoppable decline of its letters business and growing its delivery services from internet shopping.
What “reimagining its post office network” actually means is unclear, and it declined to comment on the term.
In 2017, Australia Post sold one of Sydney’s historical buildings, the GPO in Martin Place, to Singaporean billionaires Robert and Phillip Ng for $150 million.
